Ignition lock

ABSTRACT

A starting switch for a motor vehicle. The switch has a rotary key-operated barrel for energizing the conventional starting motor solenoid switch and has an ignition switch element which is closed by the movement of one of the tumblers caused by inserting the key in the barrel and which remains closed until the key is removed, thereby making it impossible to stop the engine unless the key is removed.

[ 51 Apr. 3, 1973 Unite States Patent Kitchen, Jr.

[54] IGNITION LOCK 3,138,700 6/1964Jacobsen................................340/52 Inventor: Ruben P.Kitchen, J Route BOX 2,057,301 10/1936Golokow..................,........200/61.66

511, Ashland, Ky. 41101 July 23, 1971 Primary Examiner-Robert L. WolfeAttorney-Herman, Davidson & Berman [22] Filed:

[57] ABSTRACT A starting switch for a motor vehicle. The switch has a 21Appl. No.: 165,641

[52] US. ....70/431 rotary key-operated barrel for energizing theconven- 05 15 00 tiona] starting motor solenoid switch and has an igni-[51] int. Cl.

tion switch element which is closed by the movement of th [58] Field ofSearch........70/252, 431, 447; 200/44, 61.66,

one of the tumblers caused by inserting the key in e barrel and whichremains closed until the key is removed, thereby making it impossible tostop the engine unless the key is removed.

[56] References Cited 6 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures UNITED STATES PATENTS3,485,969 12/1969 Miller....................................200/44 flana. E

IGNITION LOCK This invention relates to automobile starting switches,and more particularly to improvements in key-operated starting switcheshaving ignition switch elements therein and provided with anti-theftfeatures.

The main object of the invention is to provide a novel and improvedautomobile starting switch assembly which is so arranged that theassociated automobile engine cannot be stopped while the key remains inthe starting switch, thereby reducing the risk of leaving the automobilewith the key remaining in the switch.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved automobilestarting switch assembly wherein the ignition circuit remains energizedas long as the as sociated key remains in the assembly, the assemblybeing simple in construction, being reliable in operation, and requiringmerely a slight modification of existing automobile starting switchstructures.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improvedautomobile starting switch assembly which includes ignition switch meansautomatically closed responsive to the insertion of a key and whichremains closed until the key is removed, thereby making it impossible tostop the engine while the key remains in the switch assembly and thusreducing the possibility of an operator leaving the automobile with thekey remaining therein.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparentfrom the following description and claims, and from the accompanyingdrawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view taken through an improvedstarting switch assembly constructed in accordance with the presentinvention and diagrammatically illustrating the electrical connectionsassociated therewith.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary front elevational view of the starting switchassembly shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary side elevational view, partly in cross-section,of a typical key which may be employed with the switch assembly of FIGS.1 and 2.

Referring to the drawings, 11 generally designates an improvedautomobile starter switch assembly constructed in accordance with thepresent invention. The assembly 11 comprises a substantiallyconventional key-operated ignition switch and starter assembly exceptthat it is modified by the provision of a tumbleroperated auxiliaryswitch element which is connected across the normal ignition switchelement 12 of the conventional assembly. Thus, the conventional ignitionswitch and starter switch assembly comprises a main switch body 13containing a rotatable key-operated cylinder 14 provided with aplurality of locking tumblers 15 which must be moved to specifiedpositions by the insertion ofa proper key 16 to enable the barrel 14 tobe rotated by said key. As is well known to those familiar with thisart, when the proper key has been inserted, rotation of the barrel 14 toa first position closes the ignition switch element 12 and furtherrotation of the key in the same direction causes a starter relay 17 tobecome energized and to close the main starter contacts 18' to therebyenergize the starter motor 19. The conventional mechanism is arranged sothat after the engine has started and the key is released by the opera-.tor, the barrel 14 will remain in a position maintaining the normalignition switch element 12 closed, whereby the low tension circuit ofthe associated ignition coil 20 remains energized. With the conventionalstructure, it is possible for the operator to turn the engine off byrotating the key 16 to its initial position of insertion, which opensthe ignition contacts 12. The operator can then leave the vehicle withthe key remaining in the barrel 14. This creates a serious invitation tounauthorized persons to start the engine and drive the vehicle away.

In accordance with the present invention, an auxiliary switch isprovided which is so arranged that the energizing circuit from thebattery 21 to the low tension coil of the ignition coil assembly 20cannot be deenergized unless the key 16 is actually removed from thebarrel 14. Thus, it will be seen from FIG. 1 that the ungrounded batterysupply wire 22 is connected through the vehicle ammeter to a wire 23which is in turn connected through the normal ignition switch contactassembly 12 to the wire 24 leading to the low tension terminal 25 of theignition coil assembly 20. The pin bore associated with one of thetumblers 15' is enlarged and extended to the exterior of body 13, asshown at 26. A sleeve 27 of insulating material, such as suitableplastic material, is secured in the bore 26 The tumbler pin or stemelement 28 associated with the tumbler 15' is slidably engaged in thebore of the sleeve 27 and is engageable in the bore 29 containing thetumbler 15 in the same manner as that in which the remaining tumblerstem or pin elements 30 of the lock assembly are engageable in the bores31 associated with the other tumblers 15. Thus, the barrel 14 is heldagainst rotation by the locking engagement of the pin or stem elements30 and 28 in the associated bores 31 and 29. The stem elements 30 arebiased to locking engagement by their biasing springs 32, and similarlya biasing spring 33 is provided in the bore of the sleeve 27 which bearsbetween the top end of the stem member 28 and an annular shoulderdefined by an internal annular rib 36 provided in the upper portion ofsleeve 27.

The stem member 28 is formed with an axial bore slidably containing. arod element 37 having an enlarged bottom head 38 received in a bottomcounterbore 39 provided in the lower end portion of stem member 28. Acoil spring 40 is provided in the counterbore 39 and bears between thetop end of the tumbler element 15' and the enlarged bottom head element38 of rod 37, biasing rod 37 upwardly. Rod 37 is provided with a flangedtop button or head 41 of insulating material slidably engaged in theopening defined by the rib 36 with the top flange 42 of said button orhead received in and being slidably movable in the top end portion ofthe bore of sleeve 27. A flexible contact arm 43 is secured on the toprim of sleeve 27 overlying the button element 41 and movable intoengagement with a stationary contact 44 mounted on the rim oppositethereto. The flexible contact arm 43 is flexed upwardly into engagementwith the stationary contact 44 by the upward movement of the buttonelement 41 caused by the insertion of the key 16 into the associatedkeyhole 45 of the lock assembly.

' From FIG. 1 it will be seen that the movable contact arm is connectedby a wire 47 to the ignition wire 24 and that the stationary contact arm44 is connected by a wire 48 to the battery wire 23. Thus, the switchcontacts 43, 44 are connected across the normal ignition switch element12 of the assembly, but the switch contacts 43, 44 will remain closed aslong as the key 16 is contained in the keyhole 45.

Thus, in using the improved lock assembly, the key 16 is inserted in thekeyhole 45, immediately causing the switch contacts 43, 44 to close andthereby energizing the ignition coil 20. The key may then be operated inthe usual manner to start the vehicle, the normal ignition contacts 12being closed when the key has been rotated to a first position and thestarting relay 17 being energized when the key is rotated further in thesame direction. This closes the starter relay contacts 18 and energizesthe starter motor 19, causing the vehicle engine to start. The key isthen released and resumes its first position, above described, whereinthe normal ignition switch element 12 is closed. When the vehicle is tobe stopped, the key 16 must be returned to its original position ofinsertion, which opens the normal ignition switch 12, but the vehicleengine continues to operate, since the switch contacts 43, 44 remainclosed. The operator therefore cannot turn off the engine unless heremoves the key 16. This eliminates the possibility of the operatorinadvertently leaving the vehicle with the key 16 in the lock, since theoperator ordinarily will not leave the vehicle with the engine running,and therefore must extract the key from the lock before he can leave thevehicle.

As shown in FIG. 3, the key may be somewhat modified by the provision ofa sheath or covering 50 of insulating material on its handle portion,which protects the operator from possibility of electric shock byinsulating the operator's hand from the metal body portion of the key.

As will be apparent, removal of the key 16 from the keyhole 45 releasesthe tumbler 15' and allows it to descend, whichallows the pin or stemelement 28 to descend under the biasing force of the spring 33, whichacts on the head 38 of rod 37 to move button element 41 down and torelease the flexible contact arm 43-, causing said contact arm todisengage from stationary contact 44, thereby deenergizing the ignitioncoil assembly 20. This turns the vehicle engine off, and the enginecannot be thereafter reactivated unless the key 16 is reinserted intothe keyhole 45 and rotated, usually in a clockwise direction,sufficiently far to energize the starter relay l7.

lt will be noted that the coil spring 40 provided in the recess 39 actson the enlarged bottom head portion 38 of rod member 37 to bias said rodmember to an extended position with respect to the pin or stem member28, whereas the main biasing spring 33 acts on member 28 to bias itdownwardly and to thereby bias button element 41 downwardly, downwardmovement of said button element being limited by the engagement of itsflange 42 with the internal rib 36 of sleeve 27.

While a specific embodiment of an improved motor vehicle starting andignition switch device has been disclosed in the foregoing description,it will be understood that various modifications within the spirit ofthe invention may occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, it isintended that no limitations be placed on the invention except asdefined by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is: 1. A motor vehicle starting and ignition switchdevice comprising a body having a key-operated movable element andstarter switch means closing responsive to movement of said element to apredetermined position, and ignition switch means on said body closingresponsive to insertion of a key in said element, whereby said ignitionswitch means remains closed as long as the key remains engaged in saidmovable element and opens only when said key is removed, wherein saidmovable element comprises a barrel rotatably mounted in said body andhaving a keyhole to receive a key, wherein said barrel contains at leastone tumbler element and said body has movable stem means engaging saidtumbler element and normally locking the barrel against rotation, thetumbler element being formed to move said stem means to non-lockingposition responsive to insertion of the key, wherein said ignitionswitch means comprises a stationary contact on said body and a movablecontact on said body, and means to move said movable contact intoengagement with said stationary contact responsive to the movement ofsaid stem means to said non-locking position, and wherein said body isprovided with a bore in which said stem means is slidably positioned andwherein said means to move said movable contact. comprises a rod elementmounted in said stem means and having abutment means at one end thereofengageable with said movable contact.

2. The motorvehicle starting and ignition switch device of claim 1, andwherein said movablecontact comprises a conductive spring arm having oneend secured to said body and having its free end located in the path ofmovement of said abutment means.

3. The motor vehicle starting and ignition switch device of claim 2, andwherein said abutment means comprises a button member of insulatingmaterial secured on said one end of said rod element.

4. The motor vehicle starting and ignition switch device of claim 3, andwherein said stem means has an axial bore in which said rod element isslidably mounted, and means biasing said rod element to an extendedposition relative to said stem means.

5. The motor vehicle starting and ignition switch device of claim 4, andwherein said stern means has a counterbore adjacent said tumbler elementand said rod element is provided with an enlarged head portion locatedin said counterbore and said biasing means comprises a spring in saidcounterbore bearing between said tumbler element and said head portion.

6. The motor vehicle starting and ignition switch device of claim 5, andwherein said bore of the body is provided with an insulating sleeve inwhich said stem means is slidably positioned, said insulating sleevehaving an internal annular rib subjacent said spring arm, said buttonmember being slidably disposed inside said rib and having a top flangeengageable on said rib to limit downward movement of said rod element.

1. A motor vehicle starting and ignition switch device comprising a bodyhaving a key-operated movable element and starter switch means closingresponsive to movement of said element to a predetermined position, andignition switch means on said body closing responsive to insertion of akey in said element, whereby said ignition switch means remains closedas long as the key remains engaged in said movable element and opensonly when said key is removed, wherein said movable element comprises abarrel rotatably mounted in said body and having a keyhole to receive akey, wherein said barrel contains at least one tumbler element and saidbody has movable stem means engaging said tumbler element and normallylocking the barrel against rotation, the tumbler element being formed tomove said stem means to non-locking position responsive to insertion ofthe key, wherein said ignition switch means comprises a stationarycontact on said body and a movable contact on said body, and means tomove said movable contact into engagement with said stationary contactresponsive to the movement of said stem means to said non-loCkingposition, and wherein said body is provided with a bore in which saidstem means is slidably positioned and wherein said means to move saidmovable contact comprises a rod element mounted in said stem means andhaving abutment means at one end thereof engageable with said movablecontact.
 2. The motor vehicle starting and ignition switch device ofclaim 1, and wherein said movable contact comprises a conductive springarm having one end secured to said body and having its free end locatedin the path of movement of said abutment means.
 3. The motor vehiclestarting and ignition switch device of claim 2, and wherein saidabutment means comprises a button member of insulating material securedon said one end of said rod element.
 4. The motor vehicle starting andignition switch device of claim 3, and wherein said stem means has anaxial bore in which said rod element is slidably mounted, and meansbiasing said rod element to an extended position relative to said stemmeans.
 5. The motor vehicle starting and ignition switch device of claim4, and wherein said stem means has a counterbore adjacent said tumblerelement and said rod element is provided with an enlarged head portionlocated in said counterbore and said biasing means comprises a spring insaid counterbore bearing between said tumbler element and said headportion.
 6. The motor vehicle starting and ignition switch device ofclaim 5, and wherein said bore of the body is provided with aninsulating sleeve in which said stem means is slidably positioned, saidinsulating sleeve having an internal annular rib subjacent said springarm, said button member being slidably disposed inside said rib andhaving a top flange engageable on said rib to limit downward movement ofsaid rod element.